Fuggie Kasipa says music is a dying business

Malawi has rich talent in the field of music yet the industry still stunts in its growth—if not dead already.

Some musicians have heavily relied on live show performances, othersjoining politics, others venturing in business while others have just called it quits.

This cancer is slowly reducing musicians to involuntary Samaritans always giving out freebies and only rewarded by petty applauses.

Some musicians have turned into vendors by opting to sell their own merchandise. Music business has lost its viability.

One artist that has been affected by the falling of the value of the record is Fuggie Kasipa.

He says he will not produce an album because with piracy, music is no longer profitable.

“It was easier when I was younger because I did not have many responsibilities, but I am not growing any younger and I need to make wise choices for the sake of my family,” reasons the Samwa Jang’ala hit maker.

Kasipa, who said he has since ventured in entrepreneurship, said he cannot venture into a business which does bring food on the table.

He adds that the move by OG Issa to stop distributing music has increased piracy as the supply of music is not enough to sustain the demand.

“Nowadays, you drop a good album and all you get are compliments but you still remain poor,” says Kasipa.

The artist described piracy as theft and inhumane and said the perpetrators of the crime should be sentenced stiffer penalties.

“It takes in a lot of hard work to produce an album and for someone to just come and copy steal is the most inhumane thing one can imagine,” says Kasipa.

The artist, who rose to stardom after the release of his solo album which saw the song Samwa Jang’ala become one of the most overplayed track in, says he will only be releasing albums which he will be distributing for free just to keep his name alive.

“I just want to keep the name alive perhaps someday the mist will clear and music will become profitable again I won’t have to fight my way through to the top of the game again,” argued Kasipa.

Kasipa urges gover-nment to introduce a distr-ibution company which should take care of artists’ distri-bution problems.

Kasipa has released two singles, Main Switch and Taleka Kulira.

In Main Switch, the persona is serenading his lover that she is like an electric main switch and he cannot function without her.

Taleka Kulira is a song where the persona is at her wedding day which seemed improbable to her and they are telling her that she should stop crying as the day what seemed impossible has now come to pass.

Kasipa’s inclination towards the love theme is arguably an influence from the first band in his career, Ndirande-based Images Band where he performed with names such as Sally Nyundo, Diwa and Mavuto Khwiliro, and San B before venturing into a solo career.

The Ndirande-bred musician says he is now full time into entrepreneurship, concentrating in a field not far from his second love, music—events management. Kasipa has established a firm called Desmac Entertainment.

“I hire out a public address systems and on top of that I have a dance troupe of cultural and modern dance we also have comedians who spice up events depending on the package our clients chose. We cover all kinds of events ranging from weddings to corporate events,” says Kasipa.